Wednesday, 25 January 2017

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama welcomed the Cleveland Cavaliers to the White House on Thursday, celebrating the NBA championship that ended their city's 52-year wait for a pro sports title.

"That's right, I said world champion and Cleveland in the same sentence - that's what we're talking about when we talk about hope and change," Obama quipped of the Cavaliers rally from a 1-3 deficit in last season's NBA Finals to a seven-game triumph over the Golden State Warriors.

"Through it all, Cleveland was always Believeland," Obama said, noting the many heartbreaks endured by the Ohio city's sports fans and lauding the Cavs not only their prowess on court but also for their philanthropic efforts.

He noted that superstar LeBron James and his LeBron James Family Foundation paid college tuition for 1,100 students from Akron, Ohio, and he offered a shout-out to Kevin Love's efforts to combat sexual assault on college campuses.

"The Cavs have always given back to their fans," Obama said. "And more than just the money players and coaches have made about 200 visits annually to schools, hospitals, food kitchens and more, including assisting educational programs that reach more than 100,000 kids in northeast Ohio.